


L'amour Conquerra

by sinfuldesire_archivist



Category: Kane (Band), Smallville RPF, Supernatural RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-04-24
Updated: 2010-06-08
Packaged: 2018-09-08 05:06:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 18,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8831614
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sinfuldesire_archivist/pseuds/sinfuldesire_archivist
Summary: Set in New Orleans, Louisiana - all are attendees of UNO, the University of New Orleans. These are the misfits of the school, all who decided that fraternities an sororities were something that they were not interested in. Slowly but surely, they have all ended up at "Tara" - a huge house off campus and owned by the motherly Miss Loretta, all of whom call her Mama. This is a story of life, love, hate, and prejudice. Here are their stories...





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Note from the Sinful Desire archivists: this story was originally archived at [Sinful-Desire.org](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Sinful_Desire). To preserve the archive, we began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in November 2016. We e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact us using the e-mail address on [Sinful Desire collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/sinfuldesire/profile).
> 
>  **Author's notes:** **Disclaimer:** Nobody real is mine! And I felt that it was necessary to mention that I adore Jason Manns and Tom Welling, however, I needed bad guys for my story - and they are who I chose. I'm sure that neither of them would act or react in such a manner.  
>  **A/N:** Everyone is, of course, younger than their actual ages, they are all of college age, ranging from eighteen to twenty-two. Some people I'll mention ages, others I won't. But I have closed the gap in Jared and Jensen's ages - Jared is eighteen and Jensen is twenty.  
>  **Warnings: Intolerance, hate crime, _very_ brief mpreg (no birth)**

"Mama!!!" a female voice yelled as she barreled down the stairs.

 

Loretta knew that it was Katie before she ever saw her crash through the swinging door. And she was pretty sure why she was screaming.

 

Katie ran around the edge of the huge bar in the center of the kitchen and grabbed Loretta and ducked behind her.

 

"Girl, what did you do to him now?" she asked, looking toward the door waiting for six-foot one inches of pissed off Adam to come in.

 

"I'm gonna shave your fucking head when I get a hold of you!" he growled when he came inside the room and started chasing her.

 

Katie ran from him, screaming a high-pitched squeal that almost made Loretta's eardrums burst.

 

"Adam!" Loretta grumped.

 

"Mama, that bleached blonde harlot took my eyeliner, black nail polish and my expensive hair gel!"

 

"I didn't take your fucking hair gel, you big gaymo!"

 

"Oh, that's rich, you whorified lesbo!!"

 

Katie picked up a huge wooden spoon and threw it at him. Unfortunately for Adam, it was covered with breakfast gravy.

 

He held up his hand, deflecting the mess from splattering his pjs, but a glob of gravy smacked him in the face and his hair.

 

"Oh! You did not just do that!" he screeched and gave chase.

 

Loretta shouted "Enough!" but they both ignored her.

 

Jensen chose that exact moment to come into the kitchen. "Jen!" Katie cried, running toward him. She ran behind him, Adam right on her ass. The duo ran around his body, like some cheap knock off of a Three's Company episode, both their hands pressed onto Jensen's middle, hands dragging across his sweater-covered torso, dragging a dizzying pattern as they circled his body.

 

"You're making me dizzy," Jensen said calmly.

 

They didn't stop running around him.

 

"Stop guys," he added.

 

When they persisted, Jensen stuck his foot out, not caring which one he tripped. It happened to be Adam that fell on his ass.

 

"Oh...you're in for it Ackles," Adam threatened when Katie took off out the back door. "I'll get you! Count on it!" he growled when he stood up, getting in Jensen's face.

 

"You know that if you don't leave her alone, you're gonna have to deal with Sandy..." Jensen warned.

 

Adam turned pale. "Tell her that I moved to Tibet and became a monk!" he said, then scrambled away as he grabbed a towel and swiped it across his face and hair.

 

Jensen chuckled and looked over at Loretta.

 

"Why is everybody scared of that girl? She's no bigger than a minute!"

 

Jensen arched an eyebrow. "Are you kidding me? She's evil! She was pissed at Jared once, and I apologized to her!" he said, pointing a finger at himself.

 

Loretta chuckled. "Well, we'll have breakfast in about an hour, ok baby?"

 

Jensen smiled and leaned down and gave her a big kiss on her cheek. "Thanks, Mama."

 

~

 

Jensen walked back into the living room. Adam was sitting Indian-style on the floor in front of the television watching Bugs Bunny, remote control in his hand.

 

Mike was sitting on the sofa, shaking his head and flipping through a magazine.

 

"What?" Jensen asked. He knew that he shouldn't really have asked...because it was Mike after all.

 

"He's a bigger man-child than your boyfriend," Mike said.

 

"Fiance," Jensen corrected.

 

Adam just lifted his left hand and flipped Mike off over his shoulder without looking back.

 

"See?" Mike said, waving a hand at Adam.

 

Jensen just chuckled. He looked up when he heard feet stomping on the stairs and grinned from ear to ear when he saw Jared.

 

"Hey, baby," Jared said with a gentle grin as he leaned over and kissed him.

 

"Hi," he smiled back.

 

"Bugs Bunny!" Jared squealed, arms held up over his head, looking over at the tv. He grabbed a pillow from the couch and bounced over toward Adam.

 

He sat down several inches in front of Adam and tossed the pillow in his lap and laid back, his head coming to rest on the pillow.

 

Adam reached down and started carding his fingers through Jared's hair. "Hi pet," he said, leaning over and kissing him quickly on the lips.

 

"Morning," Jared grinned up at him then went back to watching the television.

 

"Doesn't that bother you?" Mike asked Jensen, motioning to Jared and Adam.

 

"No."

 

"No?"

 

"No."

 

"Why not?"

 

"Because Jared loves me, and Adam is just his best friend."

 

"And Chris is yours, but you two don't lie around on top of each other and make out all the time."

 

"And neither do Jared and Adam," Jensen said pointedly.

 

"Whatever. When you walk in on them fucking one day, don't say I didn't warn you."

 

Jensen just rolled his eyes and shook his head. "You know who Adam is in love with...and it's not Jared."

 

"ADAM!" a teeny voice yelled.

 

"Shit!" he gasped, backing away from Jared and running out the front door. In his pajamas.

 

Sandy came stomping around the corner. "Where is that flaming, big-ass girl going? I'm gonna kick his fucking ass!" she snarled, catching sight of his backside as he went out the door.

 

Jensen walked over to her and put his arm around her shoulders. "You do know that he outweighs you by like, ninety or so pounds, and is seven, maybe eight inches taller than you?"

 

"Did he, or did he not just run out the front door in his blue moo-cow pajamas to get away from me?"

 

Jensen snorted.

 

"Yep, he did," Jared said without turning around.

 

"If he doesn't leave my baby alone, I'm gonna break my 'I'll never touch a penis' rule and cut his off!" she snapped, making cutting motions with her index and middle fingers. She turned and went upstairs, shouting for her girlfriend.

 

"Jeeeeeeeen, I'm lonely!"

 

The front door opened and Chad ambled inside. He looked around the room. "Why is Adam running down the road in his pajamas?" he asked, thumbing over his shoulder.

 

Even Mike laughed at that one.

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

Jensen pulled the SUV into the parking lot of UNO and was the first to get out of the car, pocketing the keys. Jared was next, then Adam, Chad, Sandy and Katie.

 

Adam was walking carefully on the opposite side from where Sandy was walking and was watching her from the corner of his eye.

 

"Well, if it isn't the Alpha Ramma Dickas and the Dyke Sigma Lickas!" a bullying voice spouted from a few cars down.

 

Adam stopped walking and turned around and smiled. "And OMG!!!!" he said derisively, clutching his chest and sounding out the letters, "it's Mayor McCheese and Deputy Douchebag!"

 

Jason Manns, the college's star quarterback, threw down the breakfast sandwich he was eating and started walking toward the group, followed closely by his best friend, Tom Welling.

 

"You really wanna do that?" a very deep, Okie drawl sounded from behind them. "I'd like to hear you say that shit to me," Chris Kane said, standing right behind Jason, his hands clenched into fists. His boyfriend Steve stood right beside him.

 

Adam walked over and turned his head toward Jason and made a kissy face and winked. "Don't worry about it baby, we all know he was raised in the jungle by a bunch of apes. Let's go to class," he said, throwing his arm around Chris' and Steve's shoulders.

 

Chris glared as he walked past Jason and Tom. "One of these days, Manns, your mouth is gonna get your fucking ass kicked!"

 

"I'll be waiting for it Kane...figures you'd be into my ass," he said with a laugh.

 

"Yeah, call when you crawl out of that locked closet you're living in," Adam said flippantly.

 

"You fucking fag!" Jason snarled, advancing toward them.

 

Katie and Jared stepped right in front of Adam. "Do it," Katie said. "I want you to, you fucking prick!"

 

Jason just snorted and shook his head.

 

"It's a shame you like pussy," Tom said, looking Katie up and down, "cause you are sooo hot."

 

Katie snorted. "If I did like dick," she said, turning her head to the side and looking at Tom's crotch, "I'd want a little more than three inches. Hell, my smallest dildo would put you to shame, Welling..."

 

"Mine, too," Adam added.

 

Jensen stepped forward and slung his arms around Jared and Katie. "You know, Manns, I remember you trying to kiss me on the playground when we were six. I think that Adam has a point. When you finally decide to be an adult and admit who you are...call us. We won't treat you how you've treated us all these years."

 

All of them walked away together, trying to forget the ignorance that sometimes surrounded them.

 

"Did he really try and kiss you?" Chad asked.

 

"Yeah," Jensen nodded, reaching down and taking Jared's hand into his own.

 

Adam kept eyeing Katie as they walked toward the school.

 

She finally huffed and turned toward him. "What?"

 

"You hate me, why did you take up for me?" he asked almost quietly, so very unlike his nature.

 

She took the steps needed to close the distance between them. "I'm allowed to pick on you. I'm allowed to call you names," she said, poking herself in the chest with her index finger. "And I'm allowed to steal your eyeliner, nail polish and hair gel...because you're my family, like all these guys are. Anybody else does it, they gotta answer to me!" she said.

 

Adam narrowed his eyes. "I knew you stole my hair gel you hag!" he said, taking a step toward her.

 

Katie gave out a loud squeak and started running. Adam, of course, gave chase.

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

Three days later found Jared slamming the front door, jarring Chris and Steve from their nap on the couch.

 

Jared had the decency to look guilty. "Sorry," he said quietly.

 

"You ok Jared?" Steve asked him, concerned. Chris was sitting between Steve's legs glaring at Jared.

 

"No. Yes. I don't know," he said, shaking his head. He turned and headed to the stairs.

 

"You wanna talk about it?" Chris asked, his mean look softening.

 

Jared didn't answer, he just climbed the stairs, his and Jensen's bedroom door slamming behind him.

 

"You reckon him and Jensen had a fight?" Chris asked, turning on his side, still between his boyfriend's legs, as Steve lay back on the couch. Chris pillowed his head on Steve's chest, and Steve wrapped his arms around him.

 

"Dunno, he looked pretty upset. I'd think that him and Jen having a fight would be the only thing freaking him out that bad."

 

Just then, Adam came in and took the stairs two at a time.

 

"Well, I guess that answers that question," Chris said, lifting his head and watching him climb the stairs.

 

"Adam?" Steve asked.

 

"Mmm-hm," Chris answered, lying back down and closing his eyes.

 

~

 

Jensen walked inside the house looking tired and worn. He sighed and toed off his shoes, as they were covered in mud. He stepped in the living room and found Chris lying across one of the couches, his head in Steve's lap. Steve was absently stroking his fingers through his hair. Jensen had to grin. Chris wasn't overly affectionate. Ever. He and Jensen had been best friends since the third grade, and Chris had hugged him maybe three times in his life and told him once that he loved him. But when it came to Steve...the difference was like night and day.

 

"Hey," Jensen said. "Either of y'all know if Jared is home?"

 

"Yeah," Steve said. "He got home like four hours ago. He seemed kinda upset, but wouldn't talk to me or Chris," Steve shrugged. "He went upstairs."

 

Worried, Jensen quickly took the stairs up to the third floor where his and Jared's bedroom was and opened the door. He stood there staring, mouth slightly agape. Jared was lying on his side facing the door, eyes closed. Adam was in the bed, spooned against his back, his face snuggled into the crook of Jared's neck, his arm slung around his waist. But he was awake.

 

"Hey," he said quietly.

 

Jensen just continued to stare at them.

 

"Jensen...you know that we didn't..."

 

Jensen nodded. "I know, Adam, I know. I'm sorry. I'm just really tired and a little unnerved to see you in bed with him, ya know? I mean, look at you, you're fucking gorgeous..."

 

Adam's smile lit up the room. "I know..." he shrugged with a huge smile on his face, "but baby, your face could stop traffic. In the good way! Believe me, he's so gone for you, he wouldn't ever look at another man. Like ever. He's just upset, and he's my boy, ya know?"

 

"Yeah," Jensen smiled. "What's wrong?"

 

Adam lightly shook Jared. "Hey pet, wake up," he whispered against Jared's ear.

 

"Wha...what?" Jared blinked until the room came into focus. Then he spied Jensen standing there. "Hey," Jared said quietly.

 

Adam sat up and turned Jared's face toward him. "It'll be ok, ok?"

 

Jared nodded.

 

Adam leaned down and placed a quick kiss to his lips. "I love you," he told Jared.

 

"I love you, too."

 

Adam crawled across his body and got off of the bed. He walked to Jensen and leaned in and kissed him. "He really needs you right now..."

 

Jensen closed the door after he left, twisted the lock on the door and slipped off his dirty work clothes, then crawled in bed facing Jared as his fiance scooted back toward the wall. "What's going on babe?" Jensen asked.

 

"I'm pregnant," Jared blurted out.

 

Jensen just stared at him.

 

"Say something."

 

"Um...I uh. Wow. Are you sure?" Jensen asked, his voice even and calm.

 

Jared nodded. "I took three tests. They all came out positive."

 

"Huh."

 

"I tell you that I'm pregnant and all you say is 'huh'? Jensen, what are we gonna do? I'm eighteen years old, you're only twenty. I still have four years of college left, and you have two. We both work full time jobs to pay for school...and once everyone finds out that I'm pregnant - they'll...they'll..." Jared breath slightly hitched.

 

"They'll what?"

 

"Jen, they aren't gonna want a baby here. Waking them up in the middle of the night every two hours when they have to study for tests and get up for classes. I mean, we have it awesome with as little as we pay to live here!"

 

"If people want us to move, then we'll get an apartment somewhere."

 

"We can't afford it!" Jared said rather loudly, "not if we want to pay for school!"

 

"I'll get a better job then," Jensen told.

 

"Jen..." Jared said as he started to squirm when Jensen wrapped his arms around him.

 

"Listen to me. All those people downstairs are gonna be thrilled. Thrilled, Jared. That's our family down there. This baby," he said, slipping his hand to Jared's stomach, "will have so many aunts and uncles that it's just crazy...and Granny Loretta! Can you even imagine?" Jensen smiled.

 

"Uh...our families," Jared said, rolling his eyes. "God, I don't even want to tell them Jen."

 

"Do you for one second think that Adam isn't downstairs right now telling everyone?"

 

"I meant our parents Jen."

 

"Oh. Well, my folks will like it, they'll be thrilled. You know that they will."

 

"If my parents actually paid attention to me and acknowledged that I was in the room, I'm sure they wouldn't care."

 

Jensen just slid his hand along Jared's jaw, his thumb caressing his cheek. "I'm sorry. I wish that I could make it better. I'd take it all away, Jay."

 

"I know you would," Jared answered, leaning forward and kissing him long and slow.

 

It was just starting to get interesting. Jensen rolled over on top of him, his tongue sweeping deep and hard inside Jared's mouth. That's when the door handle started jiggling...followed by pounding.

 

"Open the door!" Sandy's voice rang out.

 

"Yes! Now!" Katie added, pounding on the wood.

 

"Hey, y'all better not be fucking when I want to talk to you," Christian added, rapping his fist even harder than the two girls put together.

 

"Ooooopeeeeen theeeeee doooooor!!!" Steve yelled.

 

Jensen sighed and crawled off of Jared and the bed, went to his dresser and pulled on a pair of running pants and opened the door.

 

Katie and Sandy both barreled into the room and bounced onto the bed, crawling across to wrap themselves around Jared. Both girls were squealing about baby this and baby that.

 

Chris grabbed Jensen and pulled him into a hug. "Congrats man, that's awesome!"

 

"Yeah, really awesome!" Steve smiled, hugging him, too.

 

Mike was leaning in the doorway, arms folded across his chest, Adam standing behind him. "Well I guess that answers that question," Mike said.

 

"What question," Adam asked.

 

"About which one bottoms...." he said, with a half smile.

 

Adam snorted. "Baby, you live in a house where ninety percent of us are gay. Haven't you learned anything? Of course Jared bottoms!" he said quite loudly.

 

Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to look at him.

 

"What?" he asked innocently. "He does," he added in an almost whiny voice.

 

"He's also your best friend, I'm sure that y'all talk," Mike said, turning to look at him.

 

"Noooo, my gaydar is impeccable. Not only can I spot one from a hundred yards away, I also know who pitches, who catches and who switch hits."

 

Everyone decided to ignore him, because when they did, he tended to lose interest and go bother someone else. Unfortunately, today was not that day. "Ok, what do you take me as? Hmm?"

 

Just then, Chad walked by and patted Adam's stomach. "A top, my beautiful, makeup-wearing little queen." Then he bounced up on the bed with Jared and the girls. "Jay, a baby? Man, that's awesome!" he said, stretching out on the bed and putting his hands behind his head. "Wow, I'm gonna be an uncle, can you believe that shit?" Chad grinned.

 

"Like we'll let you anywhere near our baby," Jensen said, walking over to the bed and trying to haul Chad off of it.

 

"Hey Jay, you sure you're pregnant? I mean, did you pee on the stick right?"

 

Jared sighed. "Yes, Chad. I'm sure that I peed on the stick right. It's not hard to do, just aim and shoot."

 

Chad went into a fit of giggles. "Seems like Jenny, here, knows just how to aim and shoot."

 

The room was filled with "Uhhhhh...." sounds from everyone but Mike. He just rolled his eyes and walked away.

 

"Anyhow J-man, you should probably take another to make sure."

 

"I took three, Chad, and each one of the sticks had the pink line on it, ok?"

 

Chad, who was still being tugged on by Jensen, sat up and said, "Does that mean it's gonna be a girl?"

 

Katie and Sandy both looked at each other, turned sideways and put their feet on him and shoved, knocking his butt to the floor.

 

"Alright, alright, all of y'all get out of here. My baby needs his rest," Loretta said, coming into the room. "You hear me, go on and get!" she said, swatting Chad as he walked by. "Now!" she said to Katie and Sandy.

 

After they were all gone, Loretta came over to the bed and sat down. She reached out her hand and cupped Jared's cheek. "You ok baby?"

 

Jared nodded. "Yeah. I mean, I'm scared, we're kinda young...and we did everything to not get pregnant and still did, so it's supposed to happen. But I'm still kinda freaked."

 

"Any other reason than being young?" she urged.

 

Jensen smiled. He didn't know how she did it, but she always managed to know everything.

 

Jared shrugged and leaned over against her.

 

"Come on baby, tell Mama what's wrong."

 

"I don't wanna move out," Jared said quietly.

 

Loretta frowned slightly and turned toward him. "What makes you think that you'll have to move?"

 

"Cause Mama, we can't expect everyone to listen to a crying baby when they have to get up and go to school, or study for a test. And if we move out we'll have to live in a run-down crack house on the bad side of town that has cockroaches and wharf rats..." his breath hitched, "...and...and..."

 

"Now wait a damn minute!" she said heatedly. "Did someone tell you that you had to move out?"

 

Jared shook his head.

 

"No, Ma'am. He's just freaking out. Almost all our money goes to tuition, books and stuff. I told him that everyone would be fine with it, but you know him, he won't listen."

 

"Well, you have nothing to worry about baby. You, Jensen and that baby there have a home until you don't need it anymore. And that means that if you stay here until you graduate, then you stay here until you graduate. We were all thrilled when Adam told us, so don't you worry about it, ok?" she said, opening her arms to him.

 

Jared grinned and fell into her arms and hugged her. "That's right," she smiled, patting his back. "Now then, why don't you two get a rest and I'll heat you both up some dinner. Because I know you didn't eat," she chastized. "You can't go skipping meals anymore, you know that right?"

 

"Yes, ma'am."

 

"Ok. Lie down and get some rest. I'll send someone up to wake you when it's ready."

 

Jared nodded and lay down on the bed and sighed.

 

Jensen lay down beside him. "You feel better now?" he asked.

 

Jared nodded. "Yeah, but I'm still kinda freaked out a little."

 

"I know, but it'll be ok," he said quietly. "Close your eyes and catch a quick nap before the food is ready, k?"


	2. Chapter 2

Adam was lying on the couch, his head in Chad's lap, as Chad absentmindedly threaded his fingers through his silky hair. He had his feet in Katie's lap, who decided it was easier to let him do it than fight with him. And besides, she was in a good mood tonight.

 

Sandy was sitting on an overstuffed chair putting Steve's long blond locks in teeny small braids all over his head as her right foot was slung over his shoulder. He was meticulously painting her toenails Barbie pink.

 

Chris was sitting at the desk in the corner using his laptop, working on one of his school papers. Mike was stretched out on the loveseat flipping through a magazine.

 

Everyone was pulled out of their own world when there was a knock on the door.

 

"I'll get it," Chris said, standing and going to the door since he was the closest.

 

When he opened the door, there was a pretty red-head standing there, tears streaming down her face.

 

"Hi...um, can - can I use your phone? My cell is dead, and I need to call..." she shrugged, "someone," the 'one' a full octave higher than the other words that left her lips.

 

"Yeah, sure," he said, backing up. "You ok?" he asked when he noticed the tear in her shirt, the messy, disheveled look of her hair and the dirt on her pants, hands and face.

 

"No," she whimpered. "I'm not...um - phone?"

 

Chris pointed to the table that held the house phone and she walked to it quickly, trying to ignore all the stares coming from the people in the room.

 

"Who's that?" Adam asked, sitting up and peering over the back of the couch.

 

"Danneel Harris. I have a class with her. She looks like someone tried to beat the shit out of her," Katie answered as her fingers drew an invisible picture on his ankles.

 

"Yeah, she does," Adam nodded. "You think we should make sure she's ok?"

 

"She didn't seem to wanna talk," Chris said.

 

"Hey Annie, can you come pick me up?" Danneel asked, her back facing the room.

 

" _What_?!" she exclaimed. "Annie, that's not what happened! Nick..." she paused again. "No! You can't be serious! Annie, he's lying to you! I didn't do anything, he‘s the one...no, I did…you have to believe me! Annie! Are you even listening to…no, I…”

 

Danneel was quiet for several minutes then shouted, "Fine! Fuck you, too, you stupid cunt!" and then slammed the phone in its cradle. She stood there several moments, then brought her hands up to her face as her shoulders started to shake.

 

Steve got up and walked over to her. "Are you ok sweetie?" he asked with a gentle touch to her shoulder.

 

"No," she whimpered, "no, I'm not ok. My best friend just kicked me out of her apartment because her boyfriend just tried to screw me and lied about it. I have nowhere to live and no best friend. My parents live nine hundred miles away, and, and," she gasped suddenly and grasped at her chest. "Uh...can't...breathe..." she panted, bending at the waist.

 

Steve took her over to the chair that Sandy had just vacated to run off down the hall, to get Loretta more than likely. Danneel flopped down in the chair and continued to pant and cry.

 

"Take deep breaths," Steve soothed, gently rubbing her back. "Come on, a deep breath before you hyperventilate."

 

Sandy came into the kitchen where Jared and Jensen were sitting at the small bar, both eating huge bowls of shrimp and chicken gumbo. "Where's Mama?"

 

"Laundry room," Jared said with a huge bite of food in his mouth. "Why?"

 

"Newcomer..." she said, heading to the laundry.

 

"A Rhett or a Scarlett?"

 

"Scarlett," she called over her shoulder.

 

Jared and Jensen both got up and headed into the living room to see their apparent new female housemate. When they got to the doorway, Danneel had her face buried against Katie's shoulder and was sobbing.

 

"What's going on?" Jared asked, sitting down between Adam's legs, who was now on the couch alone, and leaned back.

 

"Her name is Danneel, her roommate's boyfriend tried to force her to…“ Adam paused, waving his hand around in the air. “ _You know_ , and well, the chick didn't believe her and threw her out."

 

"It'll be ok," Katie said, rocking her slightly. "Shhhhh."

 

"Ok, ok, show’s over. Y'all go on and get," Loretta said, walking up to the sobbing girl. "Chad, you and Adam go on up on two and fix up the third room on the right. Clean sheets and new quilt. Jared, get your butt back in that kitchen and finish your dinner, everybody else scatter for a little bit, give this poor baby room to breathe."

 

Half an hour later Tara, in fact, had a new member.

 

~

 

Everyone slowly came back downstairs and into the living room to welcome Danneel into their home.

 

"Welcome to Tara," Jensen said offering her a hug. "We're all glad to have you here."

 

"Thanks," she answered with a slight frown. “Um, why do you call it Tara?“ she asked quietly.

 

“Sweetie, haven’t you ever seen Gone With The Wind?” Adam asked, sounding aghast as he came into the room.

 

Danneel shook her head slightly.

 

Everyone in the room, at the same time, said “Oooooooooh,” as if she were in trouble.

 

“Don’t let Mama hear you say that,” Chris said under his breath. “When she found out that I hadn’t seen it, she made me stay up till I watched it straight through. And I had an anatomy test the next day and needed to study!”

 

“Yeah, you see those curtains?” Jared asked, pointing over his shoulder to the dark green heavy curtains hanging over the main window.

 

“Yeah?”

 

“She spent, like, a billion dollars on them. They’re exact replicas of the curtains that Scarlett rips down to make a dress when she goes to see Rhett when he was being held prisoner in Atlanta after the war,” Chad added.

 

“Which war?“ she asked.

 

Everyone chuckled.

 

“Well,“ Danneel shrugged, “They’re…pretty,” she said, very unconvincingly. Everyone just stared at her. “She’s gonna hate me, huh?”

 

"It'll be ok," Jared told her as he hugged her. “Don‘t you worry about it. She‘ll be excited as hell that she can educate someone else. Now, you can borrow some jammies from Katie or Sandy tonight and then we'll all go over to your old apartment tomorrow and get all your stuff, ok?"

 

"No, we _all_ won't either. You'll stay at home. No heavy lifting, Daddy," Adam said, walking up behind Jared and patting his belly.

 

"Whatever," Jared said, shrugging Adam off of him.

 

"You're pregnant?" Danneel asked.

 

"Yeah, just found out today," Jared said.

 

"Word to the wise, sweetie, don't use my make-up, or my styling products and we'll get along fine," Adam interjected, completely changing the subject as he shoved Chad's legs apart and sat down on the couch and lay back against his chest.

 

"Like she'd want your smelly-ass hair crap," Katie said, throwing a pillow at his head.

 

He batted the pillow away, back toward her. "You do, you big fat lesbo."

 

"Whatever," Katie said, flipping him off and turning around toward her girlfriend. "I'll be home in a few hours, baby. If I don't go see my mom today, I'll never hear the end of it."

 

"Ok, tell her I said hi."

 

"I will," Katie said, giving her a kiss.

 

Danneel just stared at them for a moment. "Are all of y'all gay?" she asked. She wasn't being snotty or acting like it was disgusting, she was just curious.

 

Jensen snorted. "No. Mike's straight. Mama's straight, and Chad's bi, but everyone else, yeah. Does that freak you out?"

 

"Oh, no! God no. I'm sorry if that's what y'all thought."

 

Chad snorted. "Baby, you just became the newest member of the biggest bunch of freaks on campus," he said with his arms open wide. "Be prepared for the comments..."

 

"Oh yeah, you'll hear if for like," Chris shrugged, "ever!"

 

"I don't care," Danneel said, shrugging her shoulders. "Fuck all of 'em."

 

Mike snorted, finally deciding to actually make a comment on everything that had happened. "She'll fit in just fine here."

 

"See y'all later," Katie said with a wave and headed to the door. She pulled it open and yelped a girly scream. "Fucking hell, you scared the shit out of me," she said to the guy standing in front of her.

 

"Sorry," he said with a serious look on his face. "Is Danneel here?" he asked.

 

"Mishie?" Danneel said, turning around and staring at him. "What...what are you doing here?"

 

Misha came into the house, brushing past Katie as she went out and swiftly up to Danneel and wrapped his arms around her tiny body. "Are you ok, Dani?"

 

She hugged him back and nodded against his chest. "Yeah, I'm ok. How'd you find out?"

 

"Nick."

 

"He told you?“ she asked, glaring up at him. “No, I don’t believe it. What'd the asshole say?" she asked, pulling away from him.

 

"That you tried to get him to sleep with you. I knew it was bullshit. Did he hurt you?"

 

Danneel shook her head, "No. I'm ok."

 

"Did he hit you?"

 

"Mishie, it's ok. Don't worry about it."

 

He put his hands on her face and turned it from side to side. She had a small little bruise starting to darken on her just cheek under her left eye. "I'm gonna whip his ass again!" he said, letting go and turning around.

 

Danneel grabbed his hands. "Again?"

 

"He said something that I didn't like, so I hit him in the fuckin' mouth, and well, it went from there."

 

“Mishie, responding to violence with violence isn’t the answer,“ Danneel told him.

 

“Yeah, I know. But when you’re pissed off as bad as I was, you can’t always control what you do, ya know?”

 

She nodded and smiled. “Yeah, I guess,“ she said and then hugged him. Tight. "What'd he call me?"

 

"Doesn't matter," he answered. "I'm just glad you're ok."

 

Danneel broke the hug and turned around. "Are there any more rooms available here?" she asked everyone.

 

"Of course there is," Loretta said, walking by."Come with me boy, I'll show you to your room," she added, motioning to Misha.

 

"My room?" he said, looking puzzled.

 

Danneel smiled at him. "Well, you lived with Nick. After whipping his ass, you probably don't now, right?"

 

"You guessed right, but I was just gonna see if my folks would let me..."

 

"Move in here," Danneel interrupted him. "Please???" she begged, her eyes wide, then she looked from side to side and leaned in. “She only charged me, like, a hundred dollars a month. She said she only needs to cover utility bills and groceries,” she shrugged. “Say yes…” she smiled coyly up at him.

 

He offered a small smile and nodded, then turned and followed Loretta up the stairs, Danneel right on his heels.

 

“It looks like we have another lovesick puppy in the house,” Mike said, shaking his head. “Oh the poor souls suffering unrequited love,” he sighed.

 

Adam threw a pillow at Mike, which hit him square in the face.

 

“Unrequited love?” Chad asked oblivious, “you in love with someone dude?” he directly asked Mike.

 

“No, you illiterate moron, I am not in love with someone. If you would bother to pull your head out of your ass…”

 

“Who wants pizza?” Adam yelled, glaring at Mike as he sat up and leaned forward.

 

“Mmmmm, pizza,” Jared crooned. “Can we get one with anchovies, peppers, spinach, green olives, ham, mushrooms and pineapple?”

 

“Yeah, as long as you know that you’ll have to eat that shit all by yourself,” Adam said with a very disgusted scowl on his face.

 

Jensen snorted. “Dude, he could pork down two large pizza’s before he was pregnant. I’m sure that he can eat a whole large on his own now that he is.”

 

“Yeah, Jen…but green olives? _On a pizza_? That should be against the freaking law!” Adam continued to scowl.

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

The next morning everyone was walking across the parking lot toward the buildings, and unfortunately, had to walk past Jason and Tom, along with a few of their cronies.

 

Katie and Sandy were walking side by side, fingers linked. Adam and Chad were beside them, then Jensen, Jared, Danneel and Misha were behind them.

 

“You slumming, Harris? What on earth are you doing with the faggot brigade?” Tom asked.

 

“Go fuck yourself Tom,” Danneel said without even looking at him.

 

“Just ignore him,” Jared said. “They’re kinda ignorant, I realize. But if you ignore them long enough, they usually go away,” Jared said, throwing his arm around her shoulders.

 

“Fuck you, Padalecki,” Tom hissed.

 

Jared snorted out a laugh and turned to look at him. “You know, Tom, it used to bother me when you and Jason said hateful things about me, about the people that I love,” Jared said, shaking his head, “but not anymore. You two aren’t worth my time . You’re pathetic, sorry excuses for human beings - grow the fuck up, the both of ya’s.”

 

Surprisingly, Tom and Jason said nothing.

 

Adam made kissy faces at them…again.

 

“Are they for real?” Misha asked.

 

“Unfortunately,” Jensen said, nodding.

 

“Do they act like that everyday?” Danneel asked, looking sad.

 

“Of course they do, pretty,” Adam said.

 

“How can you take that day after day?”

 

“Ignore them for the most part,” Sandy said. “It doesn’t always work, but we try.”

 

A pretty blonde was walking across the lawn in front of one of the buildings. She looked over and glared at Danneel. When she got closer she gave her the nastiest, most hateful look.

 

“You know what Annie?” Danneel finally said. The girl stopped walking and looked at her.

 

“What?”

 

“One of these days, you’ll learn the truth. You’ll find out that I wasn’t lying. I just hope that he doesn’t hurt you or someone else.”

 

“If he really tried to rape you, why don’t you press charges. I’ll tell you why, because you’re a liar, you stupid slut!”

 

Danneel smacked her across the face. “Wipe your conscience,” she said, turning and walking away.

 

“You ok?” Jensen asked her.

 

“Yeah,” she sighed, “that felt good.”

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

Three days later found the group at a local gay bar, Mama in tow.

 

Loretta was currently dancing out on the dance floor between Steve and Christian to some techno-pop song that practically made Jensen’s ears bleed.

 

“I love you, man,” Adam said drunkenly as he plopped down in the chair next to Jared. “I love you sooooo much,” he said as he exaggeratedly flung his arms open.

 

Jared snorted out a laugh. “I love you, too, Adam.”

 

“My pet,” he said, as he gently stroked Jared’s cheek with the back of his fingers and then turned his face toward him and kissed him on the lips. “Can I be junior’s God parent?”

 

It was Jensen’s turn to snort.

 

Adam turned his head and stared at him. “Jen!” he grinned, like Jensen had just arrived and not been there all night. “I love you, too!” he said, reaching over and dragging Jensen toward him. He kissed Jensen, too. “Please tell me that I can be the back-up daddy!”

 

“You know, if me and Jared die, of course we would want you and Chad to raise the baby. Just promise me that you won’t let that douche-bag totally corrupt him,” Jensen said.

 

“Chad’s not a corrupter. He’s awesome!” Adam said, smacking the table with his fist. “He’s just blunt. I’m blunt. Do you call me a douche-bag behind my back?”

 

“No,” Jared said, “we just call you a gaymo. Or girl.”

 

Adam shrugged. “I can live with that.”

 

He looked over and eyed the dance floor. “He doesn’t know that I’m alive, ya know?” he said, watching Chad dancing with Danneel and some girl that he didn’t know.

 

“He knows,” Jensen said. “Everyone knows you’re alive baby. But maybe it’s time to tell him how you feel.”

 

Adam shook his head.

 

“Why not?” Jared asked.

 

“I’m cool with keeping him as a friend,” he shrugged. “But I _am_ gonna go dance with him,” he added, scampering off to the dance floor.

 

Loretta chose that time to come back to the table, giggling and sweating from her dance. “I swear, one of these days, you kids are gonna kill me.” She stuck her hand in her pocket and fished out a twenty. “Go get me another beer and whatever you’re drinking. Bring Jared an oj,” she said slapping the bill down in front of Jensen.

 

“Oh shit,” Jared said, nodding to the floor. Adam and Chad were pressed against each other. Kissing. Adam’s hands were on Chad’s ass. Chad’s hands were in Adam’s hair.

 

“Well it’s about damn time,” Jensen smiled, standing up and heading to the bar.

 

“Awwww.” Sandy crooned, “lookie baby…” she said, pulling Katie’s face away from the swell of her breast, “they’re finally going at it!”

 

Katie glanced at them, then buried her face back against Sandy’s chest.

 

~

 

An hour later found them all but Jared drunk and sitting around two tables that were pulled together. Mike was in a heated discussion with Misha about the existence of extraterrestrials, Area 51, and the Kennedy assassination.

 

“Oh my _God_!” Mike said, throwing his hands up in the air. “You can **not** be serious! You can’t seriously believe in the ‘grassy knoll’ theory!”

 

“Why not! Oswald could not have been in two places at once! “ Misha said pointedly, tapping his finger down on the table.

 

“Let me get this straight,” Mike said, clearing his throat. “You believe in _that_ , but you don’t believe that there’s an Area 51?”

 

“I didn’t say that. I said that the wreckage isn’t _in_ Area 51.”

 

Mike should have known better than to ask the question, but he couldn’t help himself. “And just where is it?”

 

Danneel snorted, leaned over toward Christian, who was just as drunk as she was and watching the exchange between Mike and Misha as if he were watching a tennis match. “You’re gonna love this.”

 

“Under the White House,” Misha said.

 

Mike just looked at him. “Under the White… **shut up**!” he said sternly. “You’re never allowed to talk again! Ever!” Mike said forcefully. “And if you do, the grassy knoll theory won’t be a theory anymore. I’ll fuckin’ shoot your ass and NObody will figure out what the fuck happened!”

 

“Oh, everybody knows what happened, they just covered it up…”

 

Mike stood up and reached across the table and dragged Misha up to his feet. “Shut.Up.”

 

“Ok, ok, you boys calm the hell down now,” Miss Loretta said. “I’m drunk and not necessarily in the mood to kick some ass tonight, so you two forgive and make up, no matter who is in the wrong!”

 

“No matter who is in the wrong? Mama…did you even hear him?” Mike questioned. “He puts a whole new definition to the phrase _franks and beans_ ,” Mike said as he made a silly face and smacked his chest with his hand. “He wouldn’t understand realism if it smacked him in the fuckin’ face!”

 

“Realism?“ Misha questioned. “We’re not talking about Van Gogh, Picasso or Da Vinci, we’re talking about our government covering up the assassination of our thirty-fifth president,” Misha insisted when he plopped down in his chair.

 

Mike drunkenly turned his head and looked over at Jensen. “Man, shut him up. I’m gonna fuckin’ kill him if you don’t. I mean it, Jen. Make him go away.”

 

“Mishie, will you come dance with me?” Danneel asked with a pronounced pout on her lips.

 

“You promised Adam the next dance,” he answered, swigging back the last of his Chivas.

 

“Ok, so I have two hot guys to dance between,” she said, standing.

 

Misha stood up at the same time Adam did. He leaned forward and said, “You’re not gonna grab my ass, are you?”

 

Adam grinned from ear to ear. “Of course I am, darling.”

 

~

 

It took two cabs and Jensen’s SUV to get everyone back to Tara. It wasn’t easy to get eleven drunk people situated and in vehicles, but Jared managed.

 

He pulled Jensen’s car out on the street and followed the cabs, Jensen in the passenger seat passed out cold. Adam, Katie and Sandy were in the second row, also passed out and Mike was in the back, stretched out along the whole seat.

 

Jared had a good time tonight; even though he was the only sober person amongst them, it was fun.

 

He had a fantastic extended family, all of whom loved him, even Mike…and he had Jensen, and they were gonna have a baby.

 

Could life get any better?


	3. Chapter 3

  
Author's notes: Sorry for the delay in updating... my computer died and I'm having to borrow time on my sisters!! I hope you like the new chapter!  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  


* * *

_A week later_

 

“Mmmm,” Jensen moaned at the feel of hot, wet lips pressed against his throat as his body was covered by the heavy warmth of his fiancé. “Morning,” he whispered as he slid his hands along Jared’s back.

 

“Mornin’,” Jared mumbled against Jensen’s chest as his mouth slid over his skin. “Love you,” he said, taking Jensen’s nipple into his mouth. “Love how you taste, how you feel,” he said as he thrust against Jensen.

 

“Uhhh,” Jensen groaned, his legs coming up and around his lover’s body. “Fucking Christ, Jared,” he gasped, back arching off of the bed, his hands tangling in Jared’s hair.

 

Jared chuckled, the vibrations of his laugh jolting through Jensen’s body like a shock wave, eliciting a shaky “uhhhh” from Jensen.

 

Jared slid back up, taking Jensen’s mouth in a fiery kiss and locking their fingers together, maneuvering Jensen’s arms overtop of his head. “Love you,” Jared gasped as he rocked against Jensen, their cocks rubbing perfectly against each other. “Nuhhh, uh,” Jared gasped, his mouth coming down to lick and suck on Jensen’s Adam apple. “Jen…Jen…” he chanted over and over again. “God, want to feel you in me…but - “ he rasped, “can’t - uh, can’t stop,” he said as his wild thrusts continued.

 

“Don’t stop Jay…wanna feel you come on me. Feel you lose control,” Jensen whispered, lifting his head and smashing their mouths together while tightening his legs around Jared’s body. “Come on Jay,” Jensen said rocking his hips off of the mattress, “come for me.”

 

Jared buried his face against Jensen’s neck, his teeth biting down hard on the sweaty flesh, tongue stroking the abused flesh afterward, as if it were an apology.

 

Jared thrust again, his body shaking in anticipation of his impending orgasm. “Jen, Jen,” he panted as he rocked their bodies together harder and faster.

 

Jensen, his body trapped underneath Jared’s, writhed and shook as his own orgasm hit first, his eyes slammed shut, mouth opening as he cried out, hot, slick warmth spilling between them, the glide of Jared’s body against his becoming smoother, more fluid.

 

“Guhh, Jensen,” Jared cried out. Loudly. “Oh God!” he shouted as his cock pulsed between them, thick and hot as his body shuddered, a litany of “yeses” and “fuck yeah’s” falling from Jared’s mouth.

 

Jared was always larger than life, and rarely quiet with anything, and that was certainly the case when it came to making love. He was anything but subtle.

 

As his body stopped shaking, the aftershocks of his orgasm ebbing away, he finally lifted his head from Jensen’s neck. “I - I love you,” he whispered.

 

Jensen smirked that beautiful smirk that Jared fell in love with two years ago. “I love you, too.”

 

~*~*~*~*~ 

 

“How can you eat that?” Sandy asked, leaning over Jared’s shoulder, her face scrunched in a scowl.

 

“Whaaa?” Jared said, his mouth full.

 

“Jared, it’s nasty, stinky, little fish, it’s disgusting!”

 

“I like sardines,” he said after belching. Loudly.

 

“No you don’t,” Jensen said. “You wouldn’t have touched those freaking things before you were pregnant. And you need to be careful with eating a lot of fish, you know that, right?”

 

“Sardines are ok to eat,” Adam interjected.

 

Everyone turned and looked at him. “What?” he asked with a frown.

 

“How would you know that?” Katie asked, arms folded across her chest.

 

Adam flipped her off. “Chris told me, ok?”

 

“Oh, well as long as it came from Dr. Kane,” Katie said sarcastically.

 

“Well, he is studying to be a doctor, babe.” Sandy smiled.

 

“He’s not one yet!”

 

“Yeah,” Jared said glaring at her, “salmon, sardines and perch and some others I can’t remember are alright. But I have to keep it around six ounces a week and it’ll be ok.”

 

“Oh,” Jensen said, “sorry, I was just…you know,” he said with a shrug “concerned.” 

 

Jared grinned at the thoughtfulness and love in that statement and then suddenly lowered his head, a heated gaze reaching Jensen’s eyes. Jared puckered his lips and wagged his eyebrows seductively. “Ohhh no,” Jensen said shaking his head. “Not with that stinky fish breath!” he exclaimed, backing up.

 

“Quit walking away from me with your butt, and gimme a kiss,” Jared said, setting down his can of sardines and crawling toward Jensen on all fours, making kissy faces at his fiancé.

 

“Jared,” Jensen warned, backing up now in a crab walk, his butt only an inch off of the ground. “I’m serious, no!”

 

Jared sped up. “I wanna a kisssssssss baaaaaaby!” he giggled, finally reaching Jensen’s legs. He reached out and grabbed his ankles, effectively knocking him to the ground and crawling over top of him, back on all fours, hovering above him.

 

“Jared. No!” Jensen said, turning his head.

 

“Kiss him! Kiss him! Kiss him!” Katie, Sandy, Misha, Danneel and Adam were all chanting. 

 

Jared finally crawled up Jensen’s body and was poised above his face. He smirked and then lowered his head, pressing his mouth to Jensen’s in a deep kiss.

 

“Yaaaaaaaaaaaay!” everyone yelled.

 

“You are all a bunch of morons,” Mike said, walking past them as he, Chris and Steve were heading toward the lunchroom, their lunch breaks being half an hour later than everyone else’s.

 

“Uhhh!” Jensen sputtered when Jared finally pulled away. “You’re so getting paid back the next time I have really rank morning breath,” Jensen said grimacing. “Nasty ass!”

 

“You didn’t think my ass was nasty last night,” Jared said, wagging his eyebrows once again. “Or this morning.”

 

“As I recall,” Jensen started, “there were no asses involved this morning,” he smirked up at him.

 

“TMI!” Sandy said, covering her ears.

 

“Oh, that’s rich,” Jared said, crawling back to the group. “I seem to recall walking into the living room a few weeks ago, and you had your head crammed up Katie’s nightgown. Don’t go there!”

 

Sandy had the decency to blush.

 

“Oh my God!” Katie exclaimed, frustrated, “he is such a whore!” she said, motioning across the courtyard. “Does he even know how many people he’s fucked on this campus?”

 

Everyone turned around and looked. Chad was talking to a cheerleader, his body precariously close to hers, his hand on her waist.

 

Adam made a disgruntled sound, got up and stormed away from them.

 

“Great. Thanks you idiot!” Jared snarled, getting up and following Adam.

 

“Fuck you!” Katie growled, throwing her can of Coke Zero at him, the can landing several feet away. When she turned back, everyone was staring at her. “What?”

 

“That was kinda insensitive, babe,” Sandy said. “I mean, especially after what happened at the bar.”

 

“After what happened at the bar?” Katie asked.

 

“You don’t remember?” Jensen asked.

 

“Duhhh, if I did, would I be asking?”

 

“Well,” Sandy started.

 

~

 

“Adam!” Jared yelled out. “Stop!”

 

Adam kept walking. Jared went into a jog and reached out, grasping his elbow and turning him around. “Hey…”

 

When Adam turned around he struggled slightly. “Let go, Jared.” 

 

Jared. Adam rarely called Jared anything but pet, so he knew that his friend was really upset.

 

“Hey babe, I honestly don’t think that he remembers…and you won’t tell him how you feel,” he shrugged. “What did you think would happen? You were all pretty trashed.”

 

“Well, I remember. Why doesn’t he?”

 

“I don’t know baby,” Jared shrugged, reaching out and swiping his thumbs under his friend’s eyes. “Your eyeliner is running, you look like a raccoon.” Jared leaned forward and kissed him quickly on the lips. “Just tell him.”

 

“And what if he doesn’t want me?”

 

~

 

Katie stomped across the courtyard, reached up and smacked Chad across the back of his head when she reached him.

 

“What…?” he growled out. “What is your fucking problem? Do you think you’re Gibbs or something?” he whined, rubbing the spot.

 

“Asshole!” Katie snapped.

 

“Uhhh - I’m gonna go,” the cheerleader said, thumbing over her own shoulder.

 

“Buh-bye,” Katie said, eyebrows raised, her head shaking from side to side slightly. The girl quickly rushed away. 

 

Chad narrowed his eyes and turned on her. “What.The.Fuck?” he growled in her face.

 

“You are an insensitive fucking asshole! How could you do that to him?”

 

“Him who?” Chad asked, throwing his arms up in the air. “Are you on your rag or something?” 

 

Katie narrowed her eyes at him. “If I was, I’d just kill your ass instead of yelling at you. So count yourself lucky. Now, how can you do this to him? You have to know how he feels!”

 

“Ok, are we talking to each other in a language that only you understand? What are you talking about?”

 

“Adam!” she said, pronouncing his name as if Chad was the biggest idiot on earth.

 

“What about Adam?”

 

~

 

“Why wouldn’t he want you?” Jared asked, wiping his hands on his jeans. “You’re just the hottest guy on campus!” Jared smiled. “Well, after Jensen, of course.”

 

Adam chuckled. “I don’t know, pet. I just…I don’t want to lose him, ya know? If he doesn’t feel the same way, everything will be really fucked up and awkward.”

 

“Listen to me baby,” Jared said, stepping closer, “the way that he was kissing you in that bar, he’s interested.”

 

“You think?” Adam half smiled.

 

“Yeah, I do,” Jared nodded. “You gonna be ok?”

 

Adam nodded. Jared opened his arms. Adam stepped the few inches forward and embraced his friend. Tight.

 

Of course, that’s when Tom and Jason walked by. “Jesus,” Jason gasped, “am I not allowed to walk anywhere on this fucking campus without having to look at the fucking faggot brigade? Get a room and fuck there, not in my eyesight! I’m tired of looking at this shit! Fucking queers!”

 

Jared let go of Adam and turned to look at them. “You know what? I’m beginning to think that Jensen hit the nail on the head. You’re not a homophobe. You’re just as gay as the rest of us, you’re just too much of a chicken shit to come out of that dark little closet you’re all safe and locked up in. Grow a set, man,” Jared said, shaking his head, “and admit who and what you are.”

 

Then Jared and Adam turned to walk back toward their friends. Jason started off toward them, but Tom stopped him. “No, man. You get in one more fight and you’ll be kicked off the team. We’ll get him…” he said, watching as Adam threw his arm around Jared’s shoulder, laughing. “We’ll get him.”

 

~

 

Adam and Jared got back to their friends and sat down. Chris, Steve and Mike were now in the group, all three eating their lunch.

 

“Uhh, hey Adam,” Chad said, looking over at his friend. “Can I ask you something?”

 

“Sure,” he shrugged.

 

“How long have you - you know?”

 

“I know what? Been gay? Been wearing make-up? What?” he smiled.

 

“Been into me,” Chad asked pointedly.

 

A needle could have hit the grass and everyone would have heard it for the silence that surrounded them.

 

“A long time,” Adam said quietly.

 

“How come you never told me? I mean, am I that much of an ass that you thought I’d like, what, laugh at you or something? Tell you to fuck off?”

 

“Chaaaaaaad….” Jared scolded. 

 

“Oh my GOD!” Katie screeched, throwing her arms up in disbelief and frustration. “Adam, he’s in love with you, too. You both love each other. Like really a lot. Go home and fuck each other already, Christ!”

 

“You’re in love with me?” Adam asked.

 

Chad blushed. He seriously blushed.

 

“Well, thank God that shit’s over,” Mike said. “Yes, Adam. He is in love with you.” Then he turned toward Chad, “yes Chad, Adam is in love with you. Capiche? Now take blondie’s advice, go home, skip school, fuck.”

 

Everyone sniggered when Chad stood up and walked toward Adam and nodded for him to follow him.

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

Hours later found Jensen stretched out on the couch, Jared lying on his side, back against it, right leg and arm poised across Jensen’s body, his head on Jensen’s chest.

 

Chris and Steve were on the floor sharing a huge body pillow. Sandy and Katie were out with some friends. Danneel was lying on the loveseat, her head in Mike’s lap, her long legs draped over the arm of the small couch. Misha was sitting on the chair and a half across the room, glaring at them.

 

Chad and Adam were still locked in Adam’s room, the occasional grunts or cries of passion filtering downstairs every once in a while.

 

Loretta was in her room reading. Horror movies were not her thing. They were currently watching cheesy eighties slasher flicks. First Friday the 13th, then they’d watch My Bloody Valentine. If anyone was awake after those, they’d start on Freddie Kruger.

 

“I’m hungry,” Jared announced.

 

“Wow,” Steve chirped, “you think?”

 

“Lick my balls,” Jared grouched.

 

“What do you want baby? You want me to fix you a sandwich?”

 

“No.”

 

“Some soup? I think Mama has some homemade veggie soup in the fridge from yesterday. I can heat some up for you.”

 

“No.”

 

“Pizza?”

 

“No.”

 

“Sardines?” Jensen grinned.

 

Jared shook his head and said, “Ice cream.”

 

“We don’t have any,” Danneel said. “I’m sorry, sweetie. I ate the last bowl this morning.”

 

“Ok, I’m gonna go get some then,” Jared said, sitting up. “You wanna come with?” he asked Jensen.

 

“Uhh, yeah, I can,” he said, even though he was in his jammies and didn’t really want to.

 

“You don’t have to baby, it’s ok. I’ll just run to the Speedway on the corner. I’ll only be gone ten.”

 

“You sure?” Jensen asked him. “I’ll go, it’s ok.”

 

Jared stood up and then bent and kissed him. “No. Stay. Love you.”

 

“Love you, too.”

 

“K, be back in a few,” Jared said. “Y’all want anything?”

 

Nobody said anything, so Jared headed toward the door, picking up Jensen’s keys to the SUV and going outside.

 

~

 

Jared walked to the small freezer section at the local Speedway and found nothing that looked appealing, so he drove to Kroger and bought two half gallons of ice cream. One was cookies and cream, the other New York cherry.

 

He made his purchases and headed back to the car.

 

“Well lookie here….” a voice from behind him said. “If it isn’t the local cock sucker!”

 

Jared sighed, but kept walking.

 

“Hey faggot, where you going?” Jason said.

 

“Fuck off Jason…” Jared said, picking up his pace. 

 

“Fuck off? Fuck OFF? Can’t you come up with anything more original than that?” he said, sticking his foot out and tripping Jared.

 

Jared stumbled, losing his footing and falling to the ground, his palms and knees skidding across the blacktop.

 

Jason and Tom both laughed, Jason drawing his foot back and swinging forward, making a sickening thud across Jared’s stomach.

 

“No,” Jared gasped as the blow met skin. “My ba…” he started, his words cut off as Jason landed another blow…right to his stomach. Again.

 

Tom grabbed Jared and hauled him to his feet, bags lying on the ground, Jared clutching his stomach. “Pleeeease…don…” he tried to sound out between gasped breaths.

 

“Don’t what?” Jason asked, his fist connecting with Jared’s face over and over again. Five hard blows, three to his left eye, one to his mouth and one to his cheek. “Don’t what? Prove to you that you’re a faggot fucking loser who spouts shit about other people that they don’t know shit about?” he yelled, bringing his knee up to Jared’s stomach twice, and when Jared was bent at the waist gasping, crying for the child nestled inside him that he couldn’t protect, Jason brought his knee crashing against his face…the sickening sound of bone breaking as his nose dislocated to the side in a loud crunch.

 

Jared’s battered body fell to the blacktop, the heat of the tar almost scorching against his skin. Jason persisted with his attack and kicked Jared several times. His foot smacked against his face, chest, stomach and thighs as Jared curled in on himself in a last attempt to try and protect his child.

 

“Jason…enough,” Tom said cautiously. “You’re gonna kill him,” he said, sounding scared. “He’s down. Let’s go.”

 

“I’ll say when he’s had enough,” he raged, kicking Jared a few more times.

 

Tom grabbed Jason and dragged him away. “Enough!” he yelled.

 

“Hey!” a voice sounded in the distance. “What are you doing?” someone stressed as they came closer.

 

Tom managed to drag Jason off toward their vehicle and avoided being fully seen.

 

A burly, dark-skinned man went to his knees beside Jared. He tentatively reached out and pressed his fingers to Jared’s jugular vein. He sighed in relief when he felt a pulse. “Son, you awake?” he asked, pulling his cell from his pocket and dialing 911.

 

“My….” Jared gasped, “my baby,” he managed before darkness engulfed him.

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

Jensen looked at the clock for what had to have been the two-hundredth time. “Where in the hell is he?” he said out loud. “It’s been thirty minutes. He should be back by now.”

 

“Maybe he went somewhere else. Maybe the convenience store didn’t have what he wanted,” Mike said.

 

“Even so, he should be back by now,” Jensen said, grabbing his cell from the table beside him and flipping it open. He called Jared’s cell, the phone ringing several times before voice mail picked up. “Damn it,” Jensen growled, hanging up and dialing again.

 

“Hello?” an unfamiliar female voice answered.

 

Jensen frowned. “Who is this?”

 

“Sir, this is Beverly Thibodeaux. I’m a nurse at University Hospital. We have a Jared Padalecki in our care, are you related?”

 

“Yes. I mean, sort of. He’s…” Jensen swallowed the bile rising in his throat, “he’s my fiancé. Is he ok?”

 

“Sir, I’d like to suggest that you come to the hospital quickly. I’m sorry, I’m not allowed to give any information over the telephone, but this is a very serious situation, and it may be a very good idea to come here and inform Mr. Padalecki’s family.”

 

Then the call was disconnected.

 

Jensen dropped his cell to the floor, leaned over and vomited on the floor in front of him. “Oh,” he gasped between heaves of his stomach, “oh my God….Jared…”

 

In a flurry of movements, bodies all scampered across the floor toward Jensen, all bellowing questions at the broken and crying man before them. Questions that Jensen quite simply couldn’t answer.

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

Jensen rushed into the hospital, the entire household and Mama hot on his heels, minus Katie and Sandy, who weren’t home. Christian had texted them, Katie responding that they were on their way.

 

“Hi, I’m here for Jared Padalecki,” Jensen said breathlessly to the desk clerk. “Is there someone that I can speak to?”

 

The clerk typed into the computer and looked up. “Yes sir. If you’ll have a seat in the waiting room, I’ll inform the doctor that you’re here.”

 

“Thank you,” Jensen nodded, although he didn’t seem sincere in his praise.

 

~

 

Twenty minutes later, a middle aged man with an olive complexion approached the waiting area. “Jared Padalecki?” he said, his middle eastern Indian accent thick in the air.

 

“Yes sir, I’m Jared’s partner. I should be listed on his medical card in his wallet for next of kin,” Jensen said. “Jensen Ackles,” he offered.

 

“Yes sir, I’m Doctor Ravi Nadu, and yes, we found the card. May I speak freely?” he inquired, motioning to all the people surrounding him.

 

“Yes sir, we’re Jared’s family.”

 

“He’s awake, which is a good sign, considering.”

 

“What happened, I mean, did he get in a wreck?” Jensen asked.

 

“No sir. I believe that he was the victim of an attack. From what I gathered from Jared, he was beaten up by some fellow classmates.”

 

Jus then, Sandy and Katie arrived, in time to hear the doctor’s words.

 

“Beaten?” Jensen swallowed thickly. “Our baby?” he asked quietly.

 

“I’m sorry, Mr. Ackles,” Dr. Nadu said looking down at the floor, “I’m afraid that Mr. Padalecki has miscarried due to the incessant and unrelenting attack that was bestowed upon him. His body couldn’t take it, and he has lost his child. I’m very sorry for your loss.”

 

Surprisingly, the doctor sounded sincere.

 

“Can…” Jensen said, his voice broken…tears behind his words, “can I see him?”

 

“Yes sir, but only for a few moments. He’s very weak. And just you for now, until we get him in a room.”

 

Jensen nodded and followed him.

 

Christian turned, looked at his friends and then stomped off toward the doors.

 

Adam and Sandy followed him. All the way outside.

 

“Chris!” Adam shouted as the hot and humid Louisiana air smacked against their bodies like a wet rag.

 

“Back off!” Chris snarled, turning on his friends. “You know who did this, and they’re gonna pay for it!”

 

“We know,” Sandy nodded.

 

“We wanna help,” Adam added.

 

Yeah, the prospect of answering violence with violence wasn’t the best answer. 

 

Ever. 

 

But in this case...Chris, Sandy and Adam…they really didn’t give a shit.


	4. Chapter 4

“No, uh-uh,” Christian answered. “No. Go back inside and wait to see him, ok?”

 

“No,” Adam said, shaking his head. “No way. I’m in. I don’t care if I do time and become Horrible Hank‘s bitch in cell block C,” he shrugged, “I‘m in. Those mother fuckers are gonna pay for killing that baby.”

 

“Damn straight,” Sandy said, swiping at a tear trickling down her high cheekbones.

 

“San…they’re so much bigger than you. I don’t want you to get hurt. Please,” Chris begged her.

 

“No. I’m good. Or do you forget the fact that I can honestly take care of myself?”

 

Chris nodded, turned and continued down the corridor.

 

~

 

Steve turned around and looked for his boyfriend and frowned. “Did anyone see where Chris went?” he asked the remaining group of friends.

 

Misha shrugged, looking worried. Danneel didn’t answer, she just pressed her face against Misha’s chest and snuffled softly.

 

Katie knew, but she decided that she wasn’t saying a word, because she knew that Steve would try and stop them all. Mike apparently knew, too, because he looked over at her, gave a knowing half smile and nodded at her.

 

Chad stepped forward and opened his arms to Katie. She stepped into the embrace and let him hold her. “They’ll be ok,” Chad said.

 

“Not for a while though,” she said shakily.

 

 

“Well, Jared and Jensen will, too, yeah. But I meant our significant others, they’ll be ok.”

 

Katie nodded against his chest. She hoped that Chad was right.

 

~

 

Jensen walked toward the emergency room where Jared was resting. The doctor reached out and put his hand on Jensen’s shoulder. “Jared looks pretty bad. He’s got several facial lacerations. His right eye is completely swollen shut, and there is a small orbital fracture that will, fortunately, heal nicely. The other side of his face is bruised as well, but he is able to open his eye. His nose is broken, there are a few splits on his lip. He has bruising across his stomach as well. He’ll be in quite a bit of pain while he’s healing but he’ll recover nicely. I do have him on oxygen right now, mostly due to how upset he’s been, and the amount of pain he’s been in. I’ve given him a healthy dose of pain medicine, so he’s been in and out of consciousness. I expect that he‘ll be that way for the next eight to twelve hours.”

 

Jensen nodded. “Can I stay with him until he goes up to the room? I mean, I don’t have to leave? I just don‘t want him to be alone.”

 

“Fell free to stay,” the doctor considered, knowing that Jared’s best hope was his partner. What harm could Jensen staying with him honestly do now?

 

“Thank you, Doctor.” Jensen then swallowed and headed into the room. He gasped when he approached Jared’s bed. Tears sprang to his eyes at the sight of his friend, his lover, his fiancé. “Jay?” he whispered. “Babe, you awake?” he added.

 

Jared’s head turned slightly to the side. “Jen?” he said weakly, turning his head to look at him, his left eye barely open as he struggled to stay awake. Jared’s face was a mass of dark red, slightly purpling skin. His right eye was completely swollen shut, the surface of his eyelid looking as if his eyeball was going to burst through the skin. His lips were puffy and bright pink, a split in the top lip equally in line with the bottom split. His face, simply put, looked massacred.

 

“Yeah Jay, I’m here,” Jensen said, sweetly bending down and gently pressing his lips to Jared’s forehead…the only area of facial skin that wasn’t bruised. Jared turned on his side, his back facing his lover. “Jay?” Jensen said brokenly. “What is it?”

 

“Just…” he said breaking into a sob, “just go…”

 

Jensen toed off his shoes and pulled the covers back that were across Jared’s body and crawled into bed behind him. Jensen snuggled his face into Jared’s neck, and slipped his arm around his waist.

 

“Don’t,” Jared said as his body shook slightly from the grief thundering through his veins. “Jen,” he said barely above a whisper.

 

“I know Jared…I’m so sorr - “ Jensen gasped, his mouth unable to form the words. “Sorr- oh God Jared, I’m sorry. I should have come with you…” he said as his own personal pain exploded to the surface.

 

“It’s not your fault, Jensen. I was the one who couldn’t protect our baby,” he said as he finally broke into full sobs.

 

Jensen tightened his hold on him, hoping that he didn’t hurt him. “It’s not your fault either, baby…nobody can fight off two to one, nobody.”

 

“Our - “ he whimpered into the air, “our baby is gooooone….”

 

Jensen pressed his lips against Jared’s neck. “I know Jay, I’m so sorry…I’m so so sorry.”

 

~

 

Chris rounded the corner of the frat house that Tom and Jason were members of. “Do you think that they’re here?” Adam asked as they all three slowly rose from their crouched positions and looked in the windows.

 

Sandy shrugged and said. “I’ll go ask,” and then she was off toward the door. She reached out her hand and rapped on the door and said, “Is Jason home?” when a huge, burly linebacker from the football team answered the door.

 

“No, he’s not,” he shrugged. Sandy could tell that the guy was barely able to stand and he smelled like the homeless drunk on the corner of Bourbon Street every Friday night that preached about Jesus, wrong doing, lust, and carnal sin.

 

“Do you know where he is?” she asked, poking her supple breasts out in invitation.

 

“No,” he said, leaning over more to look down her shirt, his tongue poking out to lick across his lips.

 

Sandy poked her bottom lip out and looked up at him coyly, tucked her hands behind her back, just above the swell of her ass which caused her breast to poke out even more. “Can you call him for me and see where he is?” she said, cocking her head to the side and swaying seductively.

 

The guy grinned and pulled his cell out and dialed a number. “Hey man, where are you?”

 

He paused a moment and chuckled. “No man, I don’t think that I’m your Mama…but there’s a really hot girl here looking for you.” He chuckled again. “Yeah, hang on,” he said, pulling his mouth away from the phone. “What’s your name baby?”

 

“Sheila McKenna,” Sandy lied. Sheila was a very pretty girl on the campus, but she was new to the college in the middle of the year, and not popular. She wasn‘t well known by many, but Sandy had heard through the grapevine that Jason had been trying to get into her pants. Perfect, Sandy thought. Just perfect.

 

“Alright man, I’ll tell her,” he said. “He’s down at the park,” he told Sandy. “He and Tom are having a few beers and said for you to come find them.”

 

Sandy smiled brightly and gave a very girly, cutsie wave and said “Thank you!” turned and headed toward Christian and Adam.

 

“Well done Secret Agent man,” Adam said, holding out his fist. Sandy snorted and tapped his with her own. “Alright,” he said, looking at her and then over to Chris. “Let’s go.”

 

~

 

Jensen was wrapped tightly against Jared’s back, taking into consideration all of his injuries and made sure not to hurt him, but still held him tight and let him know that he didn’t blame him.

 

Jensen blamed himself. If he hadn’t been being lazy, none of this would have happened. Jared would be at home right now, their baby would still be inside the safety of Jared’s body. Everything would be perfect - just like it was a very few short hours ago.

 

Only if.

 

“Sir?” a gruff sounding voice said from behind him.

 

Jensen turned his head slightly and looked over his shoulder. “Yeah?”

 

“I’m sorry, sir. Mr. Padalecki’s room is ready. I’m going to have to ask you to get out of bed with him so that we can transport him.”

 

“Yeah, of course,” Jensen nodded. He placed another kiss to Jared’s neck and crawled out of the bed, Jared not even budging…apparently the pain medication had completely knocked him out for the night.

 

Jensen slipped his feet into his shoes as the orderly situated everything. “Ok, we’re ready to go. Would you like to follow us up?” he asked Jensen.

 

“Yeah, thank you.”

 

“Welcome,” the middle aged man said with a nod.

 

~

 

“Hahaha,” Jason gasped upon seeing Adam, Sandy and Chris coming over the slight inclined hill from where he and Tom were sitting. “What the fuck do you want?” Jason asked, sucking back the last remnants of the beer he was drinking.

 

Chris stepped forward and grabbed the twelve pack that was about half full and chucked it over his shoulder. “Fuck Manns, I don’t know, why do you think we’re here?” he snarled.

 

Adam was standing beside Chris, the look on his face one of total disgust and hatred. Sandy was beside him, looking equally as menacing.

 

“Looking for some ass?” he laughed in response. Tom was surprisingly silent, allowing his friend to do all the talking.

 

“Funny. You know that you’re gonna pay for what you did tonight, right?”

 

Jason threw his empty bottle over his shoulder, “Oh, I am, huh? How’s that? A fights a fight man. I’ll get a fucking slap on the wrist. So go home and fuck your boyfriend, Kane, ok? I’m sure Padalecki’ll live.”

 

Sandy took two steps forward, Jason standing as she approached. Sandy balled her fist up behind her back. “Yeah, you’re right. Jared’ll live. But his baby won’t, because you and this fuck beside you killed him,” she snarled, her fist swinging forward and connecting with Jason’s crotch, her full weight crushing into the most sensitive part of the male form.

 

Jason gasped as he went to his knees. Sandy taking advantage of the situation and drew her fist back and punched him , her fist connecting at the corner of the right side of Jason’s mouth, and up slightly against his nose, sending the man sprawling back onto his ass.

 

“You stupid fucking cunt!” he yelled out, scrambling to his feet and charging toward her. Adam stepping in the way, as Christian turned around and faced Tom who had finally stood up and took steps toward them.

 

“You know, Welling…I always took you as a follower, but you’re seriously gonna stand up and fight for someone that just killed a baby?” Christian spat.

 

Tom took a faltering step, and that’s when Chris struck. He landed a punch to Tom’s jaw from the right, and then to the left, sending the man to the ground in a heap of long legs and arms, his hands clutching his face.

 

Adam surged forward when Jason managed his attempt to assault Sandy, he was on his feet and headed for her, but unfortunately for Sandy, Adam was too late in his deflection…Jason backhanded her across the face, his hand connecting with the left side of her jaw, causing her head to snap almost violently toward the right from the force of the blow. To Sandy’s credit, she didn’t let out a single sound, she only retaliated and launched herself across Adam and Jason’s bodies, her hands reaching Jason’s face and smacking hard across his cheek, her nails dragging across the flesh, scratching…tearing across the tanned skin.

 

“Bitch!” he snarled when the pain blossomed, his flesh tearing.

 

Adam pushed her back a few steps, causing her to topple over onto her butt to the ground. Sure, he knew that Sandy was a package of dynamite, but also, Jason was a mean son of a bitch, and Adam knew beyond a doubt that he could hurt her. Adam grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and spun him around, ramming his body against the picnic table, the backs of his legs slamming into the seat causing the man to stumble, Adam using his considerable height to lift him and slam him on the tabletop. Adam hit him three times, his fist smashing once onto the side of Jason’s mouth, once into his cheek just left of his nose, and the third dead center against his nose, the sound of bone breaking, and blood splattering filling the air.

 

Sandy scrambled up to her feet and up onto the seat of the picnic table and straddled Jason’s body as Adam continued his hold. “Did you convince Tom to hold Jared down while you beat the shit out of him?” she snarled. “Because I know that you couldn’t do it otherwise, you piece of shit!” she yelled as her fist connected across his face.

 

Jason struggled, trying to break the hold. “Let go of me, you fucking fag!” he snarled, spitting blood across Sandy’s face and Adam’s arms as he bucked his hips hard enough to send Sandy sprawling across the table, her small body so close to the edge that she barely clung to the edge but not falling over it.

 

Adam’s hand tightened in Jason’s shirt, his fingers twisting in the material. “You are a pathetic excuse for a human being, Manns, and I’m gonna make sure that each and everyone who knows you knows that!” Adam growled.

 

Jason balled up his fist and swung up, hitting Adam in the mouth causing him to stumble away. Jason turned on his side and pressed his hands against Sandy’s ass and shoved her off the table and got to his feet and then quickly spun toward where Christian had turned from Tom to face him.

 

Chris chuckled and motioned with his hand and nodded. “I’ve been waitin’ a long time for a turn with you, Manns.”

 

Adam had scrambled to his feet, swiping the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand, and walked over to where Sandy had fallen to the ground and pulled her to her feet and made sure that Tom had no intention of interfering. He wasn’t going anywhere. He was out cold on the other side of the picnic table.

 

They approached where Chris and Jason circled each other. Christian held up his hand. “Back off,” he snarled.

 

“Not planning on butting in,” Adam said.

 

Jason yelled and charged at Chris and rammed into his stomach with his shoulder, their bodies crashing to the ground. “Fucking faggot,” he spat, blood still pouring freely from his nose as he swung his fist down toward Chris’ face. His fist connected once, twice, three times before Chris managed to toss him off, twisting his own body over and knocking Jason on his back. It was the only leverage that Chris needed. His hands came down in a fury of anger, over and over so many times that Sandy and Adam finally had to pull him away for fear that he might actually kill him.

 

“Don’t you ever come near Jared or Jensen again, you hear me?” Chris bellowed, his emotions breaking, shattering to the surface. “Do you hear me Manns? Ever!”

 

Jason managed to get to his knees, his body swaying from side to side. “You’ll all go to jail for this! You hear me! You’ll be in the cells with us!”

 

Christian managed to wiggle free and walk back over to him. He grabbed Jason by the collar and dragged him up from the ground and chuckled in his face. “Go ahead, tell the cops. I want you to. You let everyone know that two fags and a dyke kicked your asses.” Then he let go and the three of them walked away.

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

The trio knew that it was past visiting hours at the hospital and headed home, all looking as if they were in a horrible bar fight. Sandy had a huge bruise blossoming across her cheek and raw knuckles , Adam had a split lip and bruised, raw knuckles. Chris was a little worse with a black eye, a huge purple-red bruise on his cheek, a split lip and both of his hands were bruised and raw. All three were covered in varying stages of blood, being their own, or someone else’s was anyone’s guess.

 

“You ready for this?” Adam asked. “You know that they’re gonna be pissed,” he said, looking over his shoulder.

 

“Yeah,” Sandy nodded. “My baby will understand. Open the door.”

 

Adam opened the door and walked in. When he entered, heads turned, bodies stood. Mouths gasped.

 

“San! Oh my God!” Katie gasped, running toward her girlfriend. “I was so scared!” she said, pulling her into her arms. “Let me look at you!” she said, holding Sandy’s face in her palms turning her face to the side and looking at her.

 

“Jesus baby,” Steve said, getting to his feet and pulling Chris into his arms.

 

“You should have seen the other guy,” he said with a chuckle.

 

“Not funny, you could have gotten hurt,” Steve said, burying his head underneath Chris’ chin, head coming to rest against his chest. Chris wrapped his arms around him and smiled when he spied Chad freezing halfway down the stairs looking at Adam.

 

“What the…Adam!” he gasped, pounding down the stairs and grasping his face. “Are you ok?”

 

“Yeah baby, I’m ok,” he nodded.

 

Chad hissed in a breath. “You don’t look ok,” he said, grabbing his hand and looking at it. Chad looked over at the others in the room and their lovers fussing over them and pulled Adam toward the couch.

 

“How’s Jared?” he asked, looking around the room, taking in the somber faces of the additional faces of Misha, Mike and Danneel…knowing good and well that Mama was still up at the hospital. That even God himself wouldn’t be able to drag her away from that waiting room.

 

~

 

“Mr. Padalecki?” a voice said from the doorway. “I’m Officer Jeremy Kelleher, this is my partner, David Wilson. We’re here to take your statement on what happened to you tonight.”

 

Jared turned in Jensen’s arms, his back facing the officers. “Make them go, Jen,” he said pressing his face into his neck.

 

“Jay, I know that you don’t want to do this now. I understand. But if you don’t, you could forget something important that could make or break the case, baby. You need to talk to them. They killed our baby, Jared,” Jensen said as his voice cracked. “You…” he said, stopping as his breath hitched and he swiped away a tear, “you need to tell them what happened, ok?”

 

Jared looked up at him, his one eye that wasn’t swollen completely swollen shut, overflowing with tears. “I can’t…” he whispered.

 

Jensen leaned his forehead against Jared’s. “You can Jay. You’re one of the strongest people that I know.” Jared let out a stifled sob, nodded and turned to face the police officers. He cleared his throat and said, “I was walking out of the Kroger on...


	5. Chapter 5

Chris, Adam and Sandy kept waiting all night for the proverbial hammer to fall, but it never came. They sat up most of the night waiting for the police to show up and arrest them, especially after Loretta showed up around three in the morning and told them all that Jared had spoken with the police and Jason and Tom had been arrested.

 

But by that morning, when the trio still hadn’t been approached by police, Chris figured that his last words to Jason must have stuck in his mind. He’d never admit to getting the shit kicked out of him by a bunch of gays.

 

~

 

Jensen hated the fact that he had to leave Jared the next day and go talk to a lawyer, but he knew that they had to hire one. Everyone in the house said that he didn’t need to worry about the bills, every single person said that they would throw in the money to help pay for the attorney, no matter the cost. They wanted Jason and Tom to pay for what they did.

 

Jensen wasn’t very happy when Stephanie, their lawyer, told him that if they were found guilty, that they would possibly only serve up to fifteen years or receive a fine of $7,500.00 each - or possibly both.

 

She assured Jensen that she‘d be filing charges of fetal homicide against them both even though neither had intent to kill or inflict great bodily harm to the baby, since their lawyer would make it a point to say over and over again, that they didn’t know that Jared was pregnant.

 

She told Jensen not to hold his breath, that this was their first offense, and could possibly get off with probation and fines, and that while yes, Louisiana had laws to prosecute those who caused miscarriages like this, it was still unlikely that they’d serve a very long jail sentence, if any.

 

“How is that fair? They _killed_ my unborn child!” Jensen asked.

 

“I understand, Jensen, I do. My heart is breaking for you and your partner. But last year, there was a case that a friend of mine prosecuted. A man shook an eighteen month old baby, causing brain bleeds. The baby ended up dying as a result. He got eighteen months in prison, _eighteen months_ , Jensen. That’s one month of jail time for every month that that baby was alive and on this earth. And this was a live, hold-it-in-your-arms child, Jensen. Believe me, I know that it’s not fair, I _know_ that. I completely understand that you and Jared lost a child the same as that lady did…I just want you and Jared to be prepared that no jail time may come from this is all.”

 

Jensen scoffed and shook his head. “Seems to me that the law is here to protect the criminals more than it is the victims.” Then he turned and left her office.

 

~

 

Later that day, Jason and Tom went before the judge to have their bail set. It was set at one hundred thousand dollars each. Jensen was furious and went into a rage in the hospital when he’d found out. They’d beaten Jared so badly that he honestly could have died had someone not found him, and on top of that, they’d killed his unborn child…and now, they were out, walking the streets. Because their parents could easily afford the ten percent of that crap-ass low bail to get them out.

 

God help them if Jensen ran into either one of them.

 

~

 

Two days had passed, and everyone was a little nervous. Jared was being released from the hospital, and they didn’t really know what to expect. They’d all been up to see him in the hospital, and of course they knew that he was going to be quiet and distant…but Jared was completely closed off. Non-responsive. To everyone.

 

Even Jensen.

 

Jensen didn’t know what to do with himself. Jared hadn’t talked to him since that first night. He wouldn’t even respond to the simplest question. The only response that Jared did give him would be to move away from him most of the time if Jensen touched him.

 

Jensen knew what it meant. Jared finally figured out that it really was Jensen’s fault. If Jensen had gone with him, none of this would have happened.

 

“Jay?” Jensen said, coming into the room. “I got your clothes. The doctor is getting all your paperwork ready,” he said as he gently pulled the blankets back from Jared’s body. Jensen pulled his legs off of the bed and toward the edge. Jensen was surprised that he wasn’t pulling away from him and that Jared, surprisingly, sat up.

 

Jensen knelt down and slipped socks over his feet and then underwear, and the legs of the jogging pants that Loretta had brought up there with her earlier in the day. Next were Jared’s shoes. “Ok, come on and stand up for me,” Jensen said. Jared slowly stood, a small grunt escaping his lips from the pain in his stomach and ribs.

 

Jensen stood as he pulled up Jared’s underwear and pants and then eased him back to the bed.

 

“Let’s get this off of you,” he said, untying the hospital gown and pulling it off of his shoulders and tossing it on the bed. He pulled the t-shirt over his head and Jared maneuvered his arms through the holes and turned his head to the side.

 

“Ok, it shouldn’t be too long. Adam is downstairs waiting for us in the SUV. The nurse said she’d be in here in a few minutes to wheel you out,” he said, leaning forward and kissing Jared on the forehead. “I love you.”

 

Jared didn’t say anything.

 

“Ok, Mr. Padalecki,” a pretty twenty-something year old girl said, coming into the room pushing a wheelchair. “You’re free to go.”

 

Jensen put his hands under Jared’s arm and helped him up off the bed. Jensen helped ease him down into the wheelchair. “Easy baby, nice and slow,” he said sweetly. Jensen could tell that he was in a lot of pain because Jared was breathing hard and his eyes looked a little glassy with tears. “Have they given you anything for the pain lately, babe?” he asked.

 

Jared ignored him. _Again_.

 

The ride home was quite awkward. Jared sat in the passenger side of the car and stared out the window and wouldn’t answer Jensen or Adam when they would ask him anything.

 

“Hey Adam, after you drop us home, would you run these ‘scrips up to the pharmacy for me and get them filled?”

 

“Yeah, of course, no problem, gorgeous,” Adam answered.

 

When they got home, Jared made his way up the steps and followed Jensen inside the house. Katie was the first one who welcomed him home.

 

“Hey sweetie,” she smiled, standing on her tip-toes and kissing his cheek. “It’s good to see you home.”

 

Everyone started to advance toward him at the same time, causing Jared to gasp and back away, his back slamming into the door and make him cry out in pain.

 

“Ok guys, back the fuck up,” Jensen yelled out. “I know you’re all glad that Jared’s home, but give him some room to fuckin’ breathe, alright? Christ!” he said, turning around toward him. “You ok?” Jensen asked, reaching out to him. Jared flinched away. “Ok, ok. I won’t touch you. Come on, let’s just go upstairs, ok?” Jensen said, motioning toward the stairs. “You’ll be better once you get into bed and relax.”

 

“Um, Jen?” Chris spoke up.

 

“Yeah?” he asked, as he and Jared were heading toward the stairs.

 

“We all cleaned out that big room down here that Mama used for storage and put it all up in the attic. We moved all your stuff down here so that Jared wouldn’t have to climb the stairs. The room is huge and it’s really nice. We didn’t paint it or anything because we didn’t figure you guys wanted to breathe all that crap in, but when Jared’s feeling better, we can paint it and y’all can sleep in a different room for a few nights. Mike even replaced the toilet and sink in the bathroom. The tub and shower were pretty new according to Mama, so we left that.”

 

“Wow, I…I can’t believe y’all did all that. Thank you. That’s really awesome, guys. Come on, Jay, you look like you could use a rest, babe,” Jensen said, putting his hand low on his back.

 

Jared allowed Jensen to direct him through the house toward the huge room in the back.

 

“Are you hungry?” Jensen asked as they entered the room. Jared, to Jensen’s complete surprise, shook his head. “Jared, you haven’t eaten anything since day before yesterday. You have to eat something. I’ll cook you anything you want, Jay. Anything.”

 

“M’not hungry,” he said very quietly and pulled off his shirt and threw it on the floor and toed off his shoes.

 

Well at least he’s talking, Jensen thought.“How about a grilled cheese and some tomato soup, your favorite?”

 

“No,” Jared said toeing off his shoes.

 

“Please Jay? For me? I’m worried about you,” Jensen answered just as quietly.

 

“Just leave me alone,” Jared whispered, crawling into their bed and pulling the covers around his body and turning his back on Jensen.

 

Jensen took a deep breath and let out a long sigh. “Ok. I’ll be outside in the living room if you need me. I’ll come check on you in a little bit. I love you, Jared.” Then he turned around and left the room, closing the door behind him.

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

Jared stayed in their bedroom all day, only leaving once to use the bathroom. He didn’t eat any of the dinner that Jensen had brought him, the tray sitting on the bedside table untouched when he came in to go to bed.

 

Jensen sighed and picked it up, carrying it out to the kitchen and putting the uneaten food down the garbage disposal and the empty dishes in the sink. When he turned around, he startled, jumping slightly. “You scared the shit out of me!”

 

“Sorry baby,” Loretta said from her spot at the kitchen table. “He didn’t eat anything, huh?”

 

“No ma’am. I don’t think that he even looked at it,” Jensen said quietly, walking over and joining her. “I don’t know what to do to help him. He won’t even really talk to me. He jerks away from me most of the time when I touch him,” Jensen shrugged. “I just…I don’t know what to do.”

 

“You just keep doing what you are doing baby. You keep trying. You keep loving him, and being there. He’ll need you when he needs you. Right now, he’s blaming himself. He’s holding it all in. He’s not really accepted it.”

 

“But that night at the hospital, he told me that he felt like it was his fault, and he cried because our baby was gone. That sounds like acceptance mama,” Jensen said.

 

“Well, there’s accepting it, and then there’s accepting it, Jensen.”

 

“He’s accepted it. He’s accepted that it’s my fault,” Jensen said quietly.

 

Loretta frowned and looked at him, her head cocking back. “What? Boy, what are you talking about?”

 

“Nothing,” Jensen sighed, getting up abruptly, the chair rattling and slamming into the wall.

 

“Nuh-uh, no. Sit your ass back down before I bend you over my knee, and don’t think I can’t do it!” she growled, pointing at the chair.

 

Jensen was pretty sure that she’d need help bending him over her knee, but he was also pretty sure that at any given moment, Chris, Mike, Steve, Adam, Chad and probably Sandy would help her. So, of course, he sat back down.

 

And then promptly folded his arms across his chest like a petulant child.

 

“Now then, what in the hell do you mean that this is your fault?”

 

Jensen didn’t say anything. He just turned his head and looked out the window, not that he could see anything, it was well after eleven.

 

“Jensen, how is this your fault? Are you the one who followed him out to his car and knocked him to the ground? Are you the one who kicked him in the stomach over and over?”

 

“Stop it,” Jensen said, his eyes tearing over.

 

“Are you the one who beat him until he couldn’t see any longer?”

 

“Mama, stop it,” he gasped, his face turning red, tears freely spilling down his cheeks.

 

“Are you the one who broke his nose, and then delivered that one final blow that caused your baby to die?”

 

“Stop it!” Jensen yelled, his fist slamming down to the table causing the thing to bobble on it’s base.

 

Loretta didn’t even flinch.

 

“Are you?”

 

“No, but I as good as…” he whimpered, swiping furiously at his eyes as if he were angry with himself for his outburst.

 

“And how do you figure that?” she asked, taking his hands lovingly.

 

“If I would have been with him…” he said, his tears still falling, “none of - it wouldn’t have…hap - happened.”

 

“Oh baby,” she said, pushing her chair out and opening her arms, “come to Mama.”

 

Jensen sat there a moment then he quickly came off the chair and fell to his knees, wrapping his arms around Loretta’s waist, his head coming to rest in her lap and he finally let the grief of the last several days break free. Guilt over not going with Jared, grief of losing their child, grief of Jared pulling away from him…everything, just finally broke free.

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

Jensen came out of his and Jared’s bedroom, Jared ignoring him when he asked him if he was getting up and eating.

 

When he walked into the living room, Katie was sitting on the couch Indian-style, sideways, facing Adam, talking animatedly. “So then, I’m like, ‘bitch, you did _not_ just say that to me’, right?” she said, her head shaking back and forth to emphasize her words, her index finger ticked back and forth at the same time.

 

Chris was on the loveseat, his back against the arm, legs stretched out, watching Katie and Adam, chuckling at their conversation, Steve lounging back against him.

 

“So then you know what that skank said to me?” Katie asked.

 

“What?” Adam asked, wide-eyed.

 

“She said, ‘maybe if you get you a man, you wouldn’t be such a bitch all the time’. Can you believe that shit? Why does everyone say that to a lesbian? Why do they think that when we have a bad day, a dick is the answer?”

 

“Girl, next time the skank says that to you, kick her in the taco!”

 

Steve fell off of the couch laughing.

 

“Boy,” Loretta said, whacking him against the back of his head as she passed him, “you better watch your mouth.”

 

“What?” Adam complained, “I didn’t say puss…”

 

Loretta turned on him. “Finish that sentence and I will beat your ass, boy…” she warned.

 

Jensen snorted out a laugh and everyone turned to look over at him.

 

“Jen, hey,” Chris said getting up off the loveseat and heading toward him. He pulled him into a hug, “How’s Jared?”

 

Jensen hugged him back. “Same. Won’t talk, flinches when I touch him.”

 

“Give him some time, man,” Chris said.

 

Jensen sighed and nodded, turned and headed toward the kitchen, not noticing that Loretta went into his and Jared’s bedroom.

 

“Hi baby,” she said, sitting down on the bed, her hand rubbing across his back. “You feeling any better, baby?”

 

“No,” Jared said, barely above a whisper, his voice shaking with tears.

 

“I’m so sorry that you’re going through this baby, I know it’s hard.”

 

Jared turned over in the bed, lying on his back. “You do?”

 

Loretta scooted back against the headboard after kicking off her shoes and then propping her feet up. “I do, and I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.”

 

Jared moved and laid his head in her lap. “What happened to you?”

 

“My husband. I was six months pregnant with our second child. He was a mean drunk. Used to beat me before we had kids. After I had Julian, he quit after I left him when he beat me one night and started on him. He got help. Quit drinking, everything was good. Then he lost his job. Started drinking again. He never laid a hand on me or Julian. But he wouldn’t get a job, just kept drinking and drinking. I guess that I was too pathetic to throw him out because I loved him. One night, he came home drunker than a skunk; this is when I was six months pregnant. I told him that he needed to go back to AA. He beat me so bad that it killed my little girl.”

 

Loretta’s voice broke and tears were falling down her face. “I was too far along for the baby to just abort itself, so they had to induce labor and I had to deliver my dead baby, and two days later bury her. It was the most painful thing that I ever had to do. The next worse thing was watch my husband serve thirty-two days in jail and five years probation.”

 

“My God, that’s all?” Jared asked, now freely crying too.

 

“Well, it was almost twenty years ago. The laws are more stringent. I’m sure that those two boys that killed yours and Jensen’s baby will serve more time. But baby, I’m telling you all this because you have something that I didn’t.”

 

“What’s that?” Jared said with a sarcastic scoff that asked what could I possibly have that could be helpful?

 

“A man who that loves you more than anything to help you through the pain, and a family to support you as well. Not to mention a best friend who would cut off his right arm if you asked him to.”

 

“They must hate me.”

 

“No, nobody hates you, baby. They don’t understand why you’re avoiding them. Wait, that’s not what I mean, of course they understand. But they don’t, if you know what I mean. Adam doesn’t, for sure. He’s never been able to not be there for you, but he’s not angry. And Jensen, well, he’s blaming himself, and he just wants to help you.”

 

“I told him that I didn’t blame him and that it wasn’t his fault.”

 

“Yes, I know that you did, sweetie, but that doesn’t mean that he’s not still going to think that. Of course he will continue to think that if he would have gone with you none of this would have happened. You won’t talk to him, you won’t even let him touch you, what is he going to think?”

 

“He told you that?” Jared asked, sitting up.

 

“He did, he had to confide in someone, baby. We talked last night. He’s hurting too, baby. I realize that the loss you feel is different. That baby was inside your body, so of course you’re going to feel it differently, but you have to remember that you’re not the only person who lost a child that night.”

 

“I know that, Mama, I know that. I’m just…” Jared sighed. “I can’t - it just. I can’t explain it. I don’t blame Jensen. Not in the least - but I just feel like I need to get out of here, does that make any sense to you?”

 

“I understand. I’m not from New Orleans, baby. I moved here after I lost my daughter and divorced my husband. So I understand, but I didn’t have a family either. You do.”

 

Jared sighed. “I’ve done a lot of thinking. I know that he’s not going to understand, but I have to leave. I have to. I don’t blame him. Not in the least. This is Jason’s and Tom’s fault. Not his, not mine. It’s theirs. And I’ll tell him that. But I have to go.”

 

“When are you leaving?”

 

“Tomorrow,” he answered.

 

“Before the trial?”

 

“Yes, I can come back for the actual trial, it’ll be months anyway, you know that. Hell, it’ll could be a year knowing the system here in New Orleans,” he snorted humorlessly.

 

They were both quiet for several minutes. “He’s going to hate me, isn’t he?”

 

Loretta pulled Jared into his arms. “There’s a lot of things that you could do to that boy, and there isn’t a single one of them that you could do that would make him hate you.”

 

~*~*~*~*~

 

The next morning

 

Jared came out of the bedroom, his duffle slung over his shoulder. When he got to the hallway, he was met with almost the entire household.

 

“Hey,” he said to Sandy.

 

“Hey,” she smiled, her watery eyes staring back at him. “You keep in touch, ok?”

 

“I will. I promise,” he said, hugging her.

 

Then he moved on to Katie. “You better,” she said, hugging him. “Don’t make me come kick your ass.”

 

Sandy punched her in the arm. “Sorry,” Katie said, “that probably wasn’t funny.”

 

Jared chuckled. “It’s ok.”

 

He stepped forward and stuck out his hand to Mike. “See you Mike,” he said.

 

Mike pulled him into a hug. “Call every once in a while.”

 

“I will.”

 

Then it was Danneel’s turn. “Bye, Jared.”

 

“Bye,” he said, smiling against her neck.

 

“See you, Misha,” Jared told him.

 

Misha shook Jared’s hand. “See ya. Take care. Call if you need anything, Jared. And I mean it, anything.”

 

“I will.”

 

Then it was Chris’ and Steve’s turn. They both embraced him at the same time. “You know that we love you, right?” Chris said. “If you need us, we’re here for you. Anytime, any day. Just a call away, my friend.”

 

“I know, I love you both, too. Take care of Jensen for me, ok?”

 

“You know we will,” Chris promised.

 

Jared nodded.

 

“See you Chad,” Jared said to the man in next in line.

 

Chad laughed and hugged him. “See you Jayman,” he said with a tight hug. “Take care. Call us.”

 

Jared turned. Adam was facing away from him, looking into the living room. He walked over and slipped his arms around his waist and rested his chin on his shoulder. “You weren’t going to say goodbye?”

 

“I don’t know how…” he answered with a hitch in his voice. “How am I me without you? You‘ve been my best friend since I can remember,” he said as his breath hitched.

 

“I’m sorry. I’m not trying to hurt anyone…not Jen, not you - but I have to go. I can’t be here, Adam.”

 

“I know pet, I know. Nobody is mad.”

 

Jared scoffed. “I’m not so sure. After I told Jen I was leaving, he didn’t even sleep in our room last night. And he’s not here now.”

 

“Well pet, he’s hurting too, you know?”

 

“I know, I’m not being selfish. I know that everyone thinks that, and I’m sorry. They’re just going to have to think that, I can’t change anyone’s mind. I love each and everyone of you, but I can’t stay here - the pain that I feel right at this moment is over-…it’s just too much. I just can’t,” Jared shrugged.

 

“I understand pet, I really do, ok? You don’t have to explain to me, baby. I get it. And if anyone tries to bad mouth you, they’ll have to answer to me, alright?”

 

Jared smiled. “I love you. You know that, right?”

 

“Of course I know that. I love you, too. You better call me.”

 

“I will.” Then Jared leaned in and kissed him.

 

When he turned around, Jensen was standing on the bottom stair.

 

“Hey,” Jared said.

 

“Hey,” Jensen said back.

 

Jared walked to him. “Thank you for coming down.”

 

“I wouldn’t not say bye, Jay.”

 

Jared laughed a mirthless laugh. “How do I say goodbye to you?”

 

“I don’t know, how do you?”

 

“I’m sorry Jen, I’m not trying to hurt you.”

 

“I know Jay, I know, but you are.”

 

“I know. I’m so sorry.”

 

Jensen nodded, his eyes closed.

 

“Look, I want you to know,” Jared said in a shaky voice, “that I love you more than anything in the world. I love you so much that I hurt. I love you so much that I would die for you ten times over. I would rip out my heart and give it to you right now. But I don’t expect you to wait for me, ok? I don’t know how long I’ll be gone, Jen. So if you have to move on, I won’t blame you, I won’t be mad. You deserve to be happy. You deserve to be loved. You deserve to have someone to love you with the passion that you love them. I want you to know that when I met you, it was the best day of my life, and leaving you right now is the worst…but it’s something that I have to do right now. And I hope that you can understand that, and that you don’t hate me for it. I love you, Jen. Always.” Then Jared leaned in and kissed him.

 

He bent over, picked up his bag and opened the door and headed onto the porch. Mama was waiting in the car to take him to the airport.

 

“Jared?”

 

Jared turned around and looked at Jensen.

 

“I’ll wait for you. However long it takes, I’ll wait for you.”

 

Jared smiled.

 

And then he was gone.

 

Jensen collapsed to the floor, gasping for breath, tears flowing, on his hands and knees in the foyer of the house, all his friends trying to comfort him.


End file.
